On Wednesday morning, more than 70 leaders from across Washington’s education and policy communities gathered for the first roundtable discussion on whether the state should opt into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, pending the Governor’s approval.
Attendees heard from Jorge Elorza, CEO of Democrats for Education Reform, and Raiyan Syed, Vice President of National Programs & External Affairs at Education Reform Now. The conversation was emceed by Emily Parkhurst, Founder and CEO of Formidable Inc., and included a candid panel discussion and open Q&A.
The convening created space for thoughtful, nonpartisan dialogue. One notable data point shared: if just 30% of eligible taxpayers redirected their federal tax liability under the program, Washington would see more than $730 million in new education funding.
While no consensus was expected, the discussion highlighted both the scale of the opportunity and the significant infrastructure that would be required should the state opt in. Schools would need to determine policies around accepting scholarship funds and develop systems to administer them effectively.
This first gathering marked the beginning of a broader conversation. WFIS encourages schools to actively engage in learning about the policy, its potential impact on students, and the questions it raises across sectors.
